Stem cell researchers are getting restive. Many scientists fully expected that President Barack Obama would sign an executive order reversing the Bush Administration's stem cell policy the minute he took his hand off the Bible. For the past 2 weeks, the word has been that an executive order was imminent.

The U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) has suspended research activities involving biological select agents and toxins. Army officials took the step on Friday after discovering apparent problems with the system of accounting for high-risk microbes and biomaterials at the Fort Detrick, Maryland, facility.

Those following European science policy would likely raise an eyebrow if they read this article suggesting that the European Union's research commissioner Janez Potočnik planned to step down to run for the seemingly less lofty position of European Parliament member.

NEW DELHI—India's long nuclear winter has come to end. On Wednesday, the government’s nuclear power utility inked a deal to buy at least two power reactors from France—India’s first major nuclear purchase from the West since it exploded an atom bomb in 1974 and came under international sanctions.

The European Commission today approved an action plan that would improve protections for sharks, skates, and rays. "It's an important accomplishment and a useful first step," says Ellen Pikitch, who directs the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University.

Continuing his quest to bring to light researchers' conflicts of interest, Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) has introduced an amendment to the stimulus package the Senate is considering that would force the National Institutes of Health to keep a tighter leash on its grantees.